Coupler butt and follower construction



Feb. 13, 1962 G. w. COPE ETAL 3,021,017

COUPLER BUTT AND FOLLOWER CONSTRUCTION Filed June 9, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1

FIG. 4

their Attorney Feb. 13, 1962 G. w. COPE ETAL COUPLER BUTT AND FOLLOWER CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1960 Inventors: Geoffrey W. Cope I I z 2 5 i FIG. 9

A1bert E. Martin By LJ Z M M FIG. 6

FIG 8 FIG. 10

their Attorney United States Patent 3,021,017 COUPLER BUTT AND FOLLOWER CONSTRUCTION Geoffrey W. Cope, Williamsville, and Albert E. Martin,

Lancaster, N.Y., assignors to Symington Wayne Corporation, Salisbury, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed June 9, 1960, Ser. No. 34,910 9 Claims. (Cl. 213-72) This invention relates generally to railway draft rigging and particularly to the butt end of a universally angleable coupler and the confronting face of an associated front follower.

The interchange rules of the A.A.R. limit the difference in coupler height between empty and loaded freight cars to 3 inches. As Furniss Patent No. 2,875,906 and Metzger Patent No. 2,889,940 point out, a problem is presented in the buffing of coupled cars equipped with the present so-called interlocking couplers and at or near the opposite extremes of the prescribed limit on coupler height, since the resultant upward force on the coupled end of the unloaded car tends to lift it off the I track. The solutions proposed by these patents afford a measure of vertical alignment control, in addition to limiting free horizontal angling of the coupler relative to the follower. However, each envisages a butt end construction that does not particularly lend itself to casting and, except for the more complex Metzger structure at the limits of pure vertical or horizontal angling, the contact between the butt and follower, outside their interfitting spherical surfaces, is point or at best line.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved coupler butt and follower construction for a universally angleable coupler which, while affording both vertical and horizontal alignment control, has a butt end that is simpler and more easily castable, gaugeable and machinable than any heretofore proposed, including that of the present interlocking coupler.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupler butt and follower construction for a universally angleable coupler which, by affording surface contact at limits of horizontal or vertical relative angling and line or surface contact at limits of combined horizontal and vertical relative angling, minimizes wear and improves alignment control.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a coupler butt and follower construction for a universally angleable coupler which not only limits entry into the spherical socket on the follower to the mating spherical protuberance on the coupler but restricts any complexities in configuration to the conventionally drop-forged follower in which they can be embodied without difficulty.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of the front follower of the improved construction of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the section of FIGURE 4 of another embodiment of the follower;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of invention;

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FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the coupler butt of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is an end elevational view of the preferred coupler butt;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view on a reduced scale and partly in sections of coupled draft riggings embodying the improved construction and with their couplers at opposite extremes of vertical angling; and

FIGURES l0 and 11 are fragmentary horizontal sectional views on a reduced scale of the improved construction and associated structure, respectively showing the coupler at a limit of horizontal angling relative to the follower and at maximum horizontal angling.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts, the improved coupler butt and follower construction of the present invention is designed for application to a draft rigging of a universally angleable coupler, such as the .A.A.R. alternate standard type F coupler, which is universally connected to a yoke and the butt of which normally engages and, within limits is universally angleable relative to a follower. While the improved construction may also be applied to draft rigging in which the follower is integral with a yoke or other member pin-connected to the coupler or is the front or coupler-confronting end of a plunger or housing of a housed draft gear, it will more usually be applied to a draft rigging in which the follower is contained in and separate from the member connected to the coupler. It is thus in a draft rigging of this latter type that the improved construction has been illustrated as exemplary of the invention.

Carried by center sills 1 of a railway vehicle (not shown), the exemplary draft rigging includes a striking casting 2 fixed to the sills and having fixed to it a resilient coupler carrier 3. Conventional, except for its butt end "4, hereinafter to be described, the illustrated type F or interlocking coupler 5 projects into the striking casting 2, has its shank 6 supported by the coupler carrier 3 and, rearwardly thereof, is connected for limited relative universal angling to a yoke 7 by the usual yoke pin 8 and pillow block 9. Here separate from and contained in the yoke 7, the front follower or follower block 10 bears against the butt end 4 of the coupler 5, except when in draft it is limited in forward movement by engagement with front stop lugs 11 fixed to the center sills 1, and is yieldably or resiliently urged forwardly by a draft gear or other suitable cushioning mechanism (not shown) also contained in the yoke.

The improved coupler butt and follower construction of this invention involves only the butt or rear end or face 4 of the coupler 5 and the butt-confronting front end or face 12 of the follower 10. In the case of the butt end 4, the conventional, rearwardly projecting, central spherical protuberance or spherically convex portion 13, struck about the center of angling of the coupler relative to the yoke 7, is retained. However, instead of having the usual cylindrically convex wings at the sides of the protuberance '13, the butt end, about the protuberance, is a single or continuous fiat or planar shoulder or surface 1'4, surrounding or encircling the protuberance and normal or at right angles to the longitudinal centerline of the coupler 5. Simply a flat surface interrupted centrally by a spherical protuberance, the rear end 4 presents no problem in either casting, gauging or machining in marked contrast to both the present and proposed butt ends for type F couplers.

The other part of the improved construction, the front face 12 of the follower 10, is considerably more complex than the butt end 4 but, nonetheless, is readily form-able by drop forging, the process by which followers for interlocking couplers normally are made. As in a conventional type F coupler installation, the front face 12 of the follower 10 is interrupted centrally by a forwardly facing, spherically concave cavity, socket, seat or surface 15 adapted to seat or receive and interfit or mate with the protuberance 13 on the butt end 4 of the coupler 5. Coradial and, when in engagement, concentric, the protuberance 13 and cavity 15 provide surface contact between the coupler 5 and the follower and in the absence of other contact therebetween would permit universal angling between the coupler and follower over the range of angling of the coupler relative to the yoke 7. However, free or unrestrained angling of the coupler over that entire range is undesirable because of the excessive resultant transverse forces on the cars coupled by the couplers.

As in the Furniss and Metzger patents, the coupler 5 in its horizontal and vertical free angling relative to the yoke 7 is restricted to or contained within predetermined limits to enable the alignment of the coupler to be controlled. This is accomplished by correspondingly limiting the horizontal and vertical angling of the coupler 5 relative to the follower 10 and forcing the coupler beyond those limits to act on and angle, cant or displace the follower against or in opposition to the yieldable resistance of the cushioning mechanism (not shown) acting on the rear face 16 of the follower and urging the latter forwardly. While the predetermined extent of free angling of the coupler may vary, the illustrated embodiments are designed to permit free angling of some 4" in either a horizontal or a vertical direction and of a somewhat lesser degree in oblique or combined horizontal and vertical directions.

In both embodiments, the limiting, stop or abutment means on the follower 10 are disposed to engage the fiat or planar shoulder 14 on the butt end 4 about the protuberance 13 and so limit the extent of relative free angling of the coupler and follower. In each case, either horizontal or vertical angling is limited by either of four main flat or planar abutments, surfaces or stops 17, each intersecting the circular circumference or periphery 18 of the cavity and centered laterally on or bisected by one of the horizontal and vertical axes or centerlines or planes of the cavity. Extending transversely of the follower 10 and arranged in diametrically spaced or opposite pairs at the four sides of the cavity 15, these main or side abutments 17 are each inclined outwardly and rearwardly of the cavity at an angle of 4 relative to the plane of the front face 12 of the follower, that plane in the normal or unangled positions of the follower and the coupler 5 being normal to the coupling line or centerline of the draft rigging designated as C in FIGURE 9.

Preferably identical or congruent, the four main flat surfaces or portions 17 form the sides of a forwardly tapering or pointing, generally frusto-pyramidal abutment on the front face 12 of the follower 10 about the cavity 15. The regular quadrilateral pyramid of which this abutment forms a part has its apex or vertex centered laterally or transversely on and disposed forwardly of the cavity 15 and its base intersecting or cutting across the cavity intermediate the latters longitudinal extremities. Were the main or side portions or surfaces 17 extended to the ridges or corners at which their planes intersect, one would be disposed to abut and have surface contact or engagement with the flat shoulder 14 on the butt end 4 of the coupler 5 on angling of the coupler horizontally or vertically from the coupling line C shown in FIGURE 9, through an angle corresponding to the slope of the particular side surface, here 4. However, on angling of the coupler in combined horizontal and vertical or oblique directions, the abutments on the follower which the flat shoulder 14 would engage at the limits of such angling would be the ridges at the intersections of the sides, with which the shoulder would have line contact, and those limits would range between 4 and 24929, the latter the minimum angle of each ridge 4 or corner with either the base of the pyramid or the front face 12 of the follower 10.

A minimum limit for combined angling more nearly approaching the limit on horizontal or vertical angling being desirable, the generally frusto-pyramidal abutment on the front face 12 of the follower 10 about the cavity 15 formed by the side surfaces 17 is interrupted at the corners. This interruption may be by a single fiat or planar corner, transition or auxiliary surface at each corner intersecting each of the adjoining side surfaces 17 and inclined outwardly and rearwardly relative to the front face 12 of the follower 10 at the same 4 angle. Disposed at an angle of 45 to each of the adjoining sides, such a corner surface would permit combined free angling of the coupler relative to the coupling line C up to a maximum of 4 at a combined angle to the horizontal or vertical of 45 and at that combined angle would provide surface contact for the shoulder 14, but would correspondingly reduce the area of contact between the shoulder and the side surfaces 17 at the horizontal and vertical limits of free angling, the corner and side surfaces being equal. Accordingly, since the angling of the coupler in service beyond the limits of free angling will primarily be horizontal or vertical rather than combined, it is preferred to increase the bearing areas available on the follower 10 for limiting horizontal or vertical angling of the coupler 5, with consequent reduction of the wear on the shoulder 14 and such areas at the expense of some reduction in the maximum angle afforded for combined free angling.

Following the preference as to the corner configuration, each of the modifications has corner surfaces, each of which is interposed between and connects adjoining side surfaces 17 but has a lesser spread, span or are than any of the side surfaces. While imposing a somewhat lower angular limit or limits on free angling of the coupler 5 than the side surfaces, the corner surfaces in each case ensure that at that limit or limits the shoulder 14 will have at least line contact with the follower 10. In both embodiments the corner surfaces are convex and merge at the sides with the adjoining side surfaces 17 and provide a gradual or rather smooth transition between the side surfaces. In the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 3, these corner surfaces are each in the form of a plurality of angularly related flat or planar surfaces 19, all intersecting the periphery 18 of the cavity 15, having the same vertex as the side surfaces 17 and being disposed at progressively greater angles to either adjoining side surface in a direction away therefrom. Three such surfaces are employed at each corner of the abutment of the first embodiment, the illustrated corner surfaces each having a slope of about 3 /2 and being at progressively greater inclinations of 30, 45 and 60 relative to any side surface as they recede or are removed therefrom. With this construction, the shoulder 14 at the limits of combined free angling of the coupler will have surface contact with one of the corner surfaces 19 on angling at 30, 45 and 60 to the horizontal or vertical and therebetween will have line contact with the ridges 20 at which these surfaces intersect with each other and the side surfaces.

In the alternative construction of the second embodiment shown in FIGURE 5, each corner surface is a continuous frusto-conical surface or surface portion 21 of a cone having the same vertex as and interrupted at the sides by the side surfaces 17. For a smooth transition between the side and corner surfaces, the vertex angle of the cone common to the corner surfaces is such that the side surfaces are tangential to the adjoining corner surfaces, that of the cone for the illustrated side surfaces of 4 slope being substantially 173. While incapable of providing surface contact at any point in the combined angling of the coupler 5, these frusto-conical surfaces 21 do afford line contact with the shoulder 14 over the range of combined free angling and a uniform limit on the latter of about 3 /2.

Depending on the normal longitudinal position of the butt end 4 of the coupler 5 relative to the front stop lugs 11, the abutments 17 and 19 or 21 may be partly or wholly inset in or set back from or project forwardly of the front face 12 of the follower 10, the conventional normal position requiring the insetting of both the abutments and the cavity 15, as in each of the illustrated embodiments. In any case, since the shoulder 14 is coterminous laterally or transversely of the coupler with and covers the whole of the rear end 4, except for the area occupied by the protuberance 13, entry of the shoulder into the cavity with consequent gouging of the latter at any angular disposition of the coupler relative to the coupling line is effectively prevented.

As shown in FIGURES 9-11, the shoulder 14 co-acts with the side surfaces 17 to limit the horizontal and vertical free angling of the coupler to the extent of the rearward and outward inclination of the side surfaces. Once this limit is reached, further angling of the coupler in the same direction will cause the coupler and follower to angle or move in unison about the center of angling of the coupler to the extent of the transverse play of the follower in the yoke 7 and if, as in horizontal angling, the coupler at maximum can angle beyond that point, as shown in FIGURE 11, thereafter cause the follower to angle about the opposing wall of the center sills 1 with the shoulder 14 sliding on the side surface with which it is in contact. Any angling or longitudinal displacement of the follower 10 being opposed by the associated cushioning mechanism (not shown), the coupler 5 will thus be restrained or controlled in vertical and horizontal angling and, similarly, through co-action of the shoulder 14 and the corner surfaces 19 or 21, in combined angling.

The alignment control of the coupler 5 obtained by the construction of this invention not only makes use of the associated cushioning mechanism to yieldably resist angling of the coupler in any direction beyond predetermined limits and at the limits provides at least line contact between the shoulder 14 and surface contact if the limiting surface in the direction of or normal to which the coupler is angling is a flat surface. In addition, by shifting the force transmitted by the coupler to the follower 10 to one or another of the limiting abutments or surfaces 17 and 19 or 21, the alignment control reduces or reverses the direction of the resultant lateral force otherwise tending to move the bodies of a pair of coupled cars apart laterally. This latter effect on the lateral force is graphically illustrated in FIGURE 9 in which the coupled interlocking couplers of draft riggings embodying this invention are at substantially maximum vertical angling, one downward and the other upward. Both of the couplers being beyond their limits of free vertical angling relative to their follower, the shoulder 14 on the butt end 4 of each is in contact with one of the vertically spaced pair of side surfaces 17, the coupler at the left with a lower side surface and that of the right with an upper.

If, as in a conventional interlocking coupler, no limits were imposed by the followers on vertical angling of the couplers, the force transmitted to each follower would be along the longitudinal centerline CL of the couplers at an inclination upward from the lower to the upper center sill 1 with consequent resultant vertical forces on the center sills tending to increase their vertical misalignment. However, with the force from each coupler transmitted instead through its shoulder 14 to the confronting side surface 17 on the follower, the inclination of the line of force F from the couplers to the followers relative to the horizontal is reversed or in the opposite direction from the centerlines of the couplers, with the inclination now downward from the lower to the upper center sill. As a consequence, the resultant vertical force F on the upper sill is downward and that on the lower is upward so that the tendencies of these forces is to decrease rather than increase the vertical misalignment. Even on hori-. zontal angling, where at maximum angling of the couplers the line of force from the couplers to the followers, through the shoulders 14 and side surfaces 17 of the horizontally spaced pair, will be inclined relative to the coupling line C in the same general direction as the centerlines of the couplers, the inclination will be less than if the contact between the couplers and the followers were only through the protuberances 13 and cavities 15, with consequent reduction in the outward horizontal forces tending to increase the horizontal misalignment of the sills.

As mentioned earlier, the illustrated construction in which the flat surface 14 is formed on the coupler butt 4 and the relatively complex abutment surfaces 17 and 19 or 21 are formed on the confronting face 12 of the follower, will ordinarily be advantageous in simplifying the casting of the coupler without unduly complicating the forging of the follower. However, it will be evident that, action-wise, it is quite immaterial whether the limiting surfaces comprised of the fiat surface and the abutment means are applied as illustrated or transposed with the flat surface on the follower and the abut-ment means on the coupler, each about the central spherical surface thereof. It accordingly will be understood that either form is here contemplated with the choice governed by manufacturing rather than service considerations.

From the above detailed description it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved butt end and follower construction for a universally angleable coupler which is readily manufactured, effectively controls alignment of the coupler on angling thereof in any direction relative to the follower and limits relative angling of the coupler and follower in any direction by surfaces which at the limits of free angling of the coupler have extended surface contact on horizontal or vertical angling of the coupler and at least line contact if the angling of the coupler is oblique. It should be understood that the described and disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to be included that do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. In a draft rigging including a coupler member connected for universal angling to a yoke, a follower member confronting a butt end of said coupler member and interfitting corresponding spherical surfaces on confronting faces of said members intermediate sides thereof, the improvement comprising a continuous flat surface on one of said said faces encircling the spherical surface thereon and disposed normal to a longitudinal centerline of the member having said one face, and abutment means on the other face about the spherical surface thereon and inclined outwardly and away from said one face, said abutment means including a plurality of angularly related fiat surfaces and being engageable with said flat surface on said one face for limiting relative angling of said members in any direction.

2. In a draft rigging including a coupler member connected for universal angling to a yoke, a follower member confronting a butt end of said coupler member and interfitting corresponding spherical surfaces on confronting faces of said members intermediate sides thereof, the improvement comprising a continuous fiat surface on one of said faces encirclingthe spherical surface thereon and disposed normal to a longitudinal centerline of the member having said one face, and substantially frusto-pyramidal abutment means on the other face about the spherical surface thereon and inclined outwardly and away from said one face, said abutment means being engageable with said flat surface for limiting relative angling of said members in any direction.

3. In a draft rigging including a coupler member connected for universal angling to a yoke, a follower member confronting a butt end of said coupler member and interfitting corresponding spherical surfaces on confronting faces of said member intermediate Sides thereof, the improvement comprising a continuous fiat surface on one of said faces encircling the spherical surface thereon and disposed normal to a longitudinal centerline of the member having said one face, and corner-interrupted frusto-pyramidal abutment means on the other face about the spherical surface thereon and inclined outwardly and away from said one face, said abutment means being engageable with said flat surface for limiting relative angling of said members in any direction.

4. In a draft rigging including a coupler member connected for universal angling to a yoke, a follower member confronting a butt end of said coupler member and interfitting corresponding spherical surfaces on confronting faces of said members intermediate sides thereof, the improvement comprising a continuous flat surface on one of said faces encircling the spherical surface thereon and disposed normal to a longitudinal centerline of the member having said one face, vertically and horizontally directed flat surfaces on the other face at sides of the spherical surface thereon, and corner surfaces on said other face connecting adjoining of said flat side surfaces, said several abutment surfaces being inclined outwardly and away from said one face and engageable with the flat surface thereon for limiting relative angling of said coupler and follower in any direction.

5. In a draft rigging including a coupler member connected for universal angling to a yoke, a follower member confronting a butt end of said coupler member and interfitting corresponding spherical surfaces on confronting faces of said member intermediate sides thereof, the improvement comprising a continuous fiat surface on one of said faces encircling the spherical surface thereon and disposed normal to a longitudinal centerline of the member having said one face, vertically and horizontally directed flat surfaces on the other face and arranged in horizontally and vertically spaced pairs at sides of the spherical surface thereon, and convex corner surfaces on said other face connecting adjoining of said flat side surfaces, said several abutment surfaces being inclined outwardly and away from said one face and engageable with the fiat surface thereon for limiting relative angling of said coupler and follower in any direction.

6. In a draft rigging including a coupler member connected for universal angling to a yoke, a follower member confronting a butt end of said coupler member and interfitting corresponding spherical surfaces on confronting faces of said members intermediate sides thereof, the improvement comprising a continuous fiat surface on one of said faces encircling the spherical surface thereon and disposed normal to a longitudinal centerline of the member having said one face, a forwardly pointing frustopyramidal abutment on said other face about the spherical surface thereon, flat vertically and horizontally directed side surfaces arranged in horizontally and vertically spaced pairs at sides of said abutment, and convex conical surfaces at corners of said abutment and each connecting adjoining side surfaces, said side and corner surfaces intersecting a perimeter of the spherical surface on said other face and being engageable with the flat surface on said one face for limiting relative angling of said coupler and follower in any direction.

7. In a draft rigging including a coupler member connected for universal angling to a yoke, a follower member confronting a butt end of said coupler member and interfitting corresponding spherical surfaces on confronting faces of said members intermediate sides thereof, the improvement comprising a continuous fiat surface on one of said faces encircling the spherical surface thereon and disposed normal to a longitudinal centerline of the member having said one face, a forwardly pointing frustopyramidal abutment on said other face about the spherical surface thereon, fiat vertically and horizontally directed side surfaces arranged in horizontally and vertically spaced pairs at sides of said abutment, and convex surfaces interposed between and connecting adjoining side surfaces at corners of said abutment, said corner surfaces each having a plurality of flat surface portions angularly related to each other and to said side surfaces, each of said several abutment surfaces having surface contact with said fiat surface on said one face on predetermined angling of said coupler in one of a plurality of angularly related directions relative to said follower for limiting free angling of said coupler in said one direction.

8. In a draft rigging including a coupler member connected for universal angling to a yoke, a follower member confronting a butt end of said coupler member and interfitting corresponding spherical surfaces on confronting faces of said members intermediate sides thereof, the improvement comprising a continuous flat surface on one of said faces encircling the spherical surface thereon and disposed normal to a longitudinal centerline of the member having said one face, a forwardly pointing frustopyramidal abutment on said other face about the spherical surface thereon, flat vertically and horizontally directed side surfaces arranged in horizontally and vertically spaced pairs at sides of said abutment, and convex surfaces interposed between and connecting adjoining side surfaces at corners of said abutment, said corner surfaces each having a plurality of flat surface portions angularly related to each other and to said side surfaces, each of said side abutment surfaces having surface and of said corner abutment surfaces having line contact with said flat surface on said one face on predetermined relative angling of said coupler and follower in the direction thereof for limiting free angling of said coupler in any direction.

9. In a draft rigging including a coupler member connected for universal angling to a yoke, a follower member confronting a butt end of said coupler member and interfitting corresponding spherical surfaces on confronting faces of said members intermediate sides thereof, the improvement comprising a continuous flat surface on one of said faces encircling the spherical surface thereon and disposed normal to a longitudinal centerline of the member having said one face, a plurality of pairs of transversely spaced flat surfaces on said other face about the spherical surface thereon, said surfaces of each pair being centered laterally on one of the horizontal and vertical axes of said last-named spherical surface, and convex corner surfaces each connecting adjoining of said spaced fiat surfaces, each of said spaced flat and corner surfaces being inclined outwardly and away from said one face, and said several spaced fiat and corner surfaces UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,645,362 Spence July 14, 1953 2,875,906 Furniss Mar. 3, 1959 2,889,940 Metzger June 9, 1959 

